Heartiest congratulations to George Jonas for receiving the Order of Canada. His is a still voice of sanity in a mad world. Long may he flourish.

Tony Aspler CM, Toronto.

Order needs more people of colour …

While there are some worthy new recipients of the Order of Canada, it is distressing to note that, yet again, very few Canadians of colour were honoured. The Ottawa elitists who select the OC honourees might be interested to know that the majority of people in Toronto are non-white. I am aware of philanthropic Iranian- and Indo-Canadian, entrepreneurs who have created hundreds of quality jobs, who have been passed over for nearly a decade now.

One hopes that before David Johnston steps down as Governor-General, he will find the means to make the Order of Canada more reflective the rich diversity of our nation.

Raymond Heard, Toronto.

Congratulations, but …

I’m happy for all of those recipients of the Order of Canada: Jim Cuddy, Greg Keelor, Sarah Polley, Colm Feore and your own George Jonas — just so long as the government don’t make them senators.

Peter Thoem, Burlington, Ont.

Our Liberal red national flag

Back in 1965, I remember seeing the original proposal of Canada’s new flag with the two outside bands in blue, to represent “A mari usque ad mare.” The symbolism also carried on the British tradition of “red white and blue” in our Canadian ensigns (and even the American flag). My understanding is that when prime minister Lester B. Pearson saw the prototype, he objected to the Tory blue colour flying from every federal building in the country. He then decided to use only the liberal red to convey the idea of “from sea to shining sea.”

Terry Coughlin, Thornhill, Ont.

Do not for a second construe this as unpatriotic, but there is a reason that some of my generation have at times jokingly called it Pearson’s Rag. Designed by a Liberal and instituted by a Liberal Government it looks more like a homage to The Liberal Party of Canada. It omits the blue that was part of the old flag. I do not have a problem with the red maple leaf, but the side bars should have “blue” for the “sea to shining sea.”

David Neal, Toronto.

‘Bringing scandal on the gospel’

In the midst of so much drivel about bucket lists, Father Raymond de Souza’s comment (“The worthy life is a mission to be embraced, not a series of experiences to be had”) was astute — and by implication points to the spiritual hollowing out of our culture.

I wonder what comment he might have on the Vito Rizzuto funeral rites, given at Notre-Damede-la-Défense. How is it that the Catholic Church continues to offer the comfort of a Christian funeral service to members of the Mafia? There is no doubt that Jesus came to call sinners, not the righteous. But he came to call them to repentance. I would be interested to hear Father de Souza’s take on what seems to be bringing scandal on the gospel.

Peter Wyatt, Burk’s Falls, Ont.

Jesus and the Jews

Prof. Reza Aslan claims to be seeking the “historical” rather than the “spiritual” Jesus. He makes an erroneous statement that has significance to today’s Middle East conflict. Mr. Aslan states: “at the time of Jesus, there were Jews who lived in Palestine and Jews in the Diaspora.”

He should know that the Roman emperor Hadrian, in an effort to eliminate Judea as a national entity, renamed her Palestine and had Judea merged with the Roman province of Syria. This was in 135 CE, more than 100 years after the crucifixion. Today, those who wish to delegitimize the right of the Jews to their reborn state of Israel, promulgate a myth of Palestinian nationhood and statehood, even to the extent of Mahmoud Abbas claiming that Jesus was a Palestinian

At a time when anti-Semitism is rising throughout the world and a new Nazi salute, the”quenelle” is taking hold, the time for accusing the Jews of killing Christ must end. In “The Joy of the Gospel” Pope Francis, following in the footsteps of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII wrote: “Dialogue and friendship with the children of Israel are part of the life of Jesus’ disciples. The friendship which has grown between us makes us bitterly and sincerely regret the terrible persecutions which they have endured, and continue to endure, especially those that have involved Christians.”

He stated unequivocally, “A Christian cannot be anti-Semitic. Let anti-Semitism be banished from the heart and life of every man and every woman/”

I used to be a ‘hard-core conservative’

Rex Murphy talks about “genuine hard-core of Conservative followers.” That was me — up to the point when Stephen Harper made the decision to become pro-choice.

I had a glimmer of hope back in November when the Conservatives had their policy convention and finally condemned sex-selection abortion. Yet afterwards, we saw no real action on this practice. It also appeared to be a somewhat disingenuous move, since it didn’t jibe with MP Mark Warawa’s own motion on the same subject.

As well, the Conservatives also supported the Unborn Victims of Crime policy resolution at the 2008 Conservative policy convention. Yet, five years later, that support still has not translated into any kind of policy, bill, or motion.

I will have to see some pretty hard-core changes in the leadership of the Conservative party before the next election in order to vote Conservative again. As it stands now, if the government continues to support the status quo on abortion (i.e., a pro-abortion position) and/or Mr. Harper remains leader, I could not in good conscience vote Conservative. And I’m pretty sure I won’t be the only hard-core Conservative who chooses to move away from the Conservatives.

Patricia Maloney, Ottawa.

The Lady’s blindfold has slipped

The image of Lady Justice and the ideal that she represented was one factor that inspired me to pursue the practice of law as a profession. Her blindfold represented the administration of justice impartially, without favour or influence by money, power, weakness or identity. My plan to make it to law school was almost thwarted by some left leaning professors and left wing student tutorial leaders who seemed to penalize my outspoken conservative views with lower marks. I persevered believing that if I could just make it thorough and obtain my law degree, I would meet Lady Justice on the other side and I did. It’s now disheartening that the Lady’s blindfold has slipped off of an eye as a result of the left-wing thinking that I thought I had escaped in academia.

Dan Mailer, London, Ont.

Taxes may be legal, but they are still wrong

A proper constitution—one that restricts government to the protection of individual rights—would forbid income tax. If it’s wrong to steal from your neighbour directly, then it’s wrong to enlist the government to do so. If it’s wrong to force your neighbour to send their children to your school or clinic, then it’s wrong for the government to do it. And if it’s wrong to strangle your business competitor in red tape, then ditto for the government. Protection of individual rights (via the police, law courts and military) leaves people free to benefit enormously from the free enterprise system in every sector of the economy—not just electronics. Without such a constitution taxes will continue to wax as liberty continues to wane.

Glenn Woiceshyn, Calgary.

The trouble with ‘till’

Regarding the words til vs till. Till is to work the ground or is a place to keep money. Til is an abbreviation of the word until. Therefore, it has only one “l,” with or without the apostrophe. To think otherwise is a sad commentary on our education system, which stresses neither spelling nor grammar.